In this brief press interview with Abba Onyekachukwu recently at the marking of New Yam Festival in Abuja organized by communities in Anambra North Senatorial District of Anambra resident in Abuja, HRH, Ikechukwu Nwokechi the Igwe Awobo of Iruogbo, Dusogu, Awkuzu, Omambala, Anambra State hails Governor Chukwuma Soludo for performance and urges him to encourage the Omambala people for massive production of Yam and other agric produce in Anambra and environs. Excerpts.

Qtn: Having performed the traditional “Eating of Yam” (iri ji) in year 2025 organized by the entire Anambra North Senatorial District in Abuja, what is your advice to them?
Ans: Yes, as a recognized title holder, I was specially invited to come and perform the 2025 Eating of Yam (Iri Ji), not Not Cutting of Yam (Iwa Ji), for my people, Anambra North Senatorial District in Abuja. It is not “Iwa Ji,” but “Iri Ji.” I urge them to keep it up, as it will go a long way to rekindle our culture, as well as motivate production of Yam and other farm produce.

Qtn: What exactly is the difference?
Ans: In ancient days, it was called “Offering to Ancestors First (Alo Mmuo). In this way, our ancestors will eat the Yam first, before us. In observing this great feast, the living will pray for more fruitful stay on earth. So, for the fact that the living and the ancestors are there to eat, thus the name, Iri Ji, not Iwa Ji. They call it Iwa Ji today, for the Christians to join in the festival. The women petty traders cut the Yams, fry them for sale. In an occasion like this, those who are novices at the festival, should be made to know what it is all about.

Additionally, they see Ndigbo as idol worshippers. Ndigbo give commands to idols, we don’t worship idols. It is the foreign religion, the Christianity that has spoilt everything, because they usually say Jesus tells them to do this or that. Before the foreign religion, Ndigbo have their system of religion, based on tradition. You see a reverend father or a priest as the case may be, standing on an alter with chaplets, among others, begging Virgin Mary to beg on their behalf. A dead person lacks the ability to beg on behalf of the living.

Qtn: Are you a Christian, Muslim or a traditionalist?
An: I am a traditionalist. The late Igwe Angus of Abagana said any igwe or traditional ruler that says that he isn’t a traditionalist is deceiving himself. He also said that if any igwe enters the paradise or heaven, he would begin to suspect that God has taken bribery. So I am Igwe Awobo, Iruogbo, Dusogu, Awkuzu.

Qtn: Some people believe that there is no difference between Christin and Traditional religions, saying that each abhors doing bad things, do you think so?
Ans: A real traditionalist doesn’t have sex with his brother’s wife or do or partake in doing any evil, because, if he does or partakes in doing evil, the ancestors and the gods of the land will suffer him instantly. But the Christians do or partake in doing evil, and even pastors impregnate women and ladies among their fellow worshippers and non worshippers.

Qtn: As the greatest Yam farmers in Igboland, Anambra North hasn’t been celebrating Yam in Abuja, don’t you think that they are too late in doing that?
Ans: The time you wake up from sleep is your morning. This is the maiden celebration and I assure you that the next one will be greater.

Qtn: Omambala and Ndigbo in general produce Cocoyam, Yam, among others, what is so special about Yam that they celebrate yearly?
Ans: Yam is the king of all crops. We the Omambala, not Anambra (Anambra North) are known for massive production of Yam, while people from other parts of Igboland produce Cocoyam and they eat Pounded Cocoyam (Nri Ede). But we eat the native Pounded Yam (Nri Ji) with the native White Soup, (Ofe Nsala).

Qtn: As a businessman, you celebrate Yam without producing it, is there any sense it?
Ans: I celebrate and produce yam. I sponsor farmers in the village and, at worst, if I want to celebrate Yam, I can go to the market and buy large quantities of Yam and do the celebration here.

Qtn: Ndi Omambala known for massive production of Yam, is your governor encouraging agriculture?
Ans: Yes, he is encouraging agriculture. But if you praise a person for having done well, he will do more. Let him give Ndi Omambala more encouragement for massive production of Yams. So he is doing very well. Let him keep it on. Everybody will not be a leader and my advice to our people is for them to continue to support him, for him to continue to do well.

Qtn: Is your title Igwe Awobo na Dusogu, Awkuzu or Ichie Awobo na Dusogu, Akuzu?
Ans: My title is Igwe Awobo na Awkuzu, not Ichie. All these high chiefs, these and that, after Igwe Awkuzu has stayed about 130 years and left, every other chiefs will be dissolved and my title will remain, because I got it from Obi Awkuzu in Iruanyika, and from Igwe Awkuzu.